CDPJ Proposes Female, Maternal-Line Emperors Be Allowed

Tokyo, June 11 (Jiji Press)--Japan should allow women in the Imperial Family and members of the family in the maternal bloodline to become emperor, in order to ensure the stable Imperial succession into the future, the major opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan said Tuesday.

The proposal may spark controversy as conservatives strongly oppose the idea of Japan having a female emperor or an emperor connected to the Imperial lineage through the maternal bloodline.

The CDPJ sought a review of a rule under the Imperial House Law stipulating that only male offspring in the paternal line belonging to the Imperial lineage can assume the throne, saying it will inevitably help shrink the supply of Imperial heirs.

Japan should not let the Imperial lineage fail, by sticking to the rule limiting heirs to men in the paternal line, it said.

As part of the proposal on female and maternal-line emperors, the party also said that direct offspring of the emperor should be given precedence in the succession over other Imperial Family members and that the order of succession among the emperor's children should be determined by that of birth, regardless of sex.